Colorado Rockies news and links for Wednesday, September 4, 2024
The Colorado Rockies will have plenty of questions heading into the offseason as they prepare for the 2025 season and beyond. Recently we have seen the team try to get a leg up on answering some of those questions with a lineup full of young position players and an influx of young bullpen arms. Among the many questions the team will need to address, the starting rotation is a puzzle they have to solve.
Pitching wins championships. This is a tale as old as time in baseball. The Rockies often point to their pitching staff in 2017 and 2018 as the main reason why they were able to reach the postseason back-to-back years for the first time in team history. As the team tries to reconstruct and get back to contention the rotation will be a keystone in the development of the organization.
The known quantity rotation
If the Rockies maintained the status quo of who they already have on the roster, the rotation could look something like this:
- Kyle Freeland
- Germán Márquez
- Cal Quantrill
- Austin Gomber
- Antonio Senzatela
Three of those players (Márquez, Gomber, Quantrill) would be in the final years of their contracts while Freeland and Senzatela would still have a year or two left on their deals. While it’s not a terrible rotation, it’s filled with pieces that would either be performing to contend or building value to be traded for more pieces at the deadline hopefully. This is a safe option that is likely the preference of Bud Black if he returns to manage, but there are still a lot of problems and questions with this rotation.
Márquez and Senzatela are both still recovering from Tommy John surgery. Márquez returned for one start before elbow soreness settled in to end his season. Senzatela is working his way back and could appear before the season is over, but having thrown so few innings since the end of 2022, can the Rockies still be confident in his abilities?
Meanwhile, Freeland has been inconsistent since his Cy Young bid in 2018 while Gomber is having one of the best years of his career and has shown stretches of excellence he’s still a question of sustainability. That leaves Quantrill who had a strong first half but has struggled in the second half and is currently on the IL.
This rotation also squeezes out Ryan Feltner who has some of the best raw stuff of this bunch and he could easily slot in, but will he be able to string together enough starts of consistency with the Rockies? That still remains to be seen despite his talent.
The salt and pepper rotation
Quantrill and Gomber were candidates to be traded at this year’s trade deadline and they could still be options to move in the offseason or simply released, but either way it sets up the Rockies to have a mix of young and veteran starts for a little salt and pepper action.
Márquez, Freeland, and Senzatela would presumedly return and also give Feltner a secured spot. That leaves one rotation spot open that could be filled by any number of starters that the Rockies. Bradley Blalock and Tanner Gordon have shown spurts of brilliance this season but can also benefit from more time in the minors as needed. There is also the option of Carson Palmquist who still has a chance to debut this season but may just have to battle for a spot out of spring training because he doesn’t need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason.
The supporting young arms are a good sign for the Rockies, allowing them to shuffle in and out through the season if the Rockies manage their options wisely. Anthony Molina could also enter the mix as he will be able to go to Triple-A next season and get stretched out as a starter to continue to develop. This rotation also leans into the phased transition period towards the rotation that could come after if it’s not used in 2025.
New kids on the block rotation
The Rockies could also choose to wipe the slate clean and kick off 2025 with a full youth movement. This kind of rotation could house the likes of Márquez, Freeland, or Feltner, but it opens the door for the Rockies to deploy a rotation consisting of players like Gordon, Blalock, Palmquist and, perhaps the most anticipated, Chase Dollander.
There is a strong likelihood that Dollander will pitch for the Rockies in 2025, it’s just a matter of when. He could easily break camp with the club, but it the team could choose to test him in Triple-A to begin the season (and control that service time) much like the Pittsburgh Pirates did with Paul Skenes this year. Either way, he would be the marquee arm in a young rotation and herald in the other arms on the way. The Rockies would have Sean Sullivan, Mason Albright, Connor Van Scoyoc, Jack Mahoney, Michael Prosecky, and a slew of others that make the pitching future bright. It’s just a matter of slotting them in and giving them the opportunity.
Moving forward
There is a lot of potential with the Rockies rotation, but regardless of who they put in there, the team has to figured out a way to help them succeed. The lab in Arizona is a helpful tool, but they also need to utilize those resources in-house during the season to get the most out of their arms and have a coaching staff capable of understanding and implementing the data. If they can do that, the starting rotation is going to look promising in 2025 and beyond.
★ ★ ★
Affected by Altitude Episode 128: September is upon us (feat. Ryan Rolison)
In this new episode of Affected by Altitude, Evan Lang and I talk about the September call-ups as well as the promising young arms making their debuts. We also talk about Jackson Holliday’s appearance at Coors Field and then name our August Players of the Month. Rounding things out, we talk to Ryan Rolison of the Albuquerque Isotopes about working back from shoulder injuries and just checking in on how he’s doing working out the bullpen. You can find the podcast versions in the article or find Rocky Mountain Rooftop on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube.
Coors Field has always been special for Peralta family | MLB.com
Since being acquired from the Pirates for Jalen Beeks, Luis Peralta has already settled in nicely in the Rockies bullpen. Thomas Harding caught up with Peralta to talk about how his brother Freddy actually made his big league debut at Coors Field and the connection the family has with Colorado.
★ ★ ★
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 9, Tacoma Rainiers 3
Six runs in the final two innings for the Isotopes led them to victory as they outlasted the Rainiers. Greg Jones went 2-for-5 with his 13th homer of the season while Zac Veen threw out three hits, including a double and his third home run in Triple-A. On the hill Carson Palmquist went 4 2⁄3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The bullpen managed to go scoreless the rest of the way, including Jaden Hill tossing a scoreless inning to earn the win.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 5, Altoona Curve 0
The Yard Goats tallied 10 hits on the day in a 5-0 victory to kick off the week against the Altoona Curve. Zach Kokoska belted a three-run shot, his 18th long ball of the year, while Warming Bernabel and Ryan Ritter added two hits apiece. On the hill Antonio Senzatela made a rehab start, tossing four scoreless innings and striking out three. Mason Albright followed Senzy and tossed five scoreless innings to earn his fourth win of the year in Hartford.
High-A: No Game
Low-A: No Game
★ ★ ★
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!